Derbyshire Swift Nest Blockade Sparks Outrage Amid Population Plunge
In a controversial move that has ignited fury among conservationists, nesting holes for swifts in a historic Derbyshire railway viaduct have been blocked during a multi-million-pound refurbishment project. Campaigners warn that this action could have fatal consequences for the migratory birds, which are already facing a dramatic decline across Britain.
Heartbreaking Consequences for Returning Swifts
Swifts returning to Britain to breed this spring may find their ancestral nesting sites inaccessible after three holes were filled with mortar in February, as part of a £7.5 million refurbishment of the 160-year-old twin viaducts at Chapel Milton, on the edge of the Peak District. Nature lovers had previously appealed to Network Rail to preserve at least nine identified swift nesting sites between tiny gaps in the stonework.
"It's utterly heartbreaking," said Deb Pitman, a swift campaigner. "Seeing footage of what happens when swifts return to a blocked nest is deeply upsetting. They repeatedly try to access their entry point, sometimes with fatal consequences. It is thought established breeding pairs do not successfully relocate to a new nest site. In effect, when a nest site is lost, they stop breeding."
Disputed Ecological Assessments and Police Investigation
Network Rail commenced work on the viaducts last summer while swifts were nesting, commissioning an ecological report that found no evidence of nesting swifts—a claim vigorously challenged by swift watchers. The campaigners assembled 38 pieces of evidence indicating at least nine nest sites, leading Network Rail to later acknowledge the presence of swift holes and assert that they had worked around the nesting birds.
In response to the refurbishment work being reported to police by campaigners last summer, the British Transport Police's wildlife crime team launched an investigation into whether nesting birds may have been disturbed. This adds a legal dimension to the ongoing dispute over the preservation of these critical habitats.
Network Rail's Response and Conservation Efforts
A Network Rail spokesperson stated: "During essential refurbishment work on the viaduct at Chapel Milton last year, our teams identified potential swift nests. We consulted ecologists and created exclusion zones to ensure adequate protection for the nesting swifts. The essential repairs to the masonry were then completed after the bird nesting season. We welcome the opportunity to work with local groups to make the viaduct a more welcoming habitat for swifts, including installing additional nest boxes alongside existing nest sites."
However, campaigners argue that preserving the tiny swift holes would have no impact on the structural integrity of the viaduct. Jason Adshead, from the Chapel-en-le-Frith Biodiversity Group, emphasized: "We spent a great deal of time monitoring the work at the viaduct last year and we have evidence showing where the nest sites are. It's information we shared with Network Rail. We sincerely hope they will arrange for the nest holes to be reopened before the birds return in numbers. Swifts are the sight and sound of summer and we are incredibly lucky to have them here."
Broader Context of Swift Decline and National Campaigns
This incident occurs against a backdrop of severe population decline for swifts in Britain, with numbers dropping by 66% between 1995 and 2022, largely due to the loss of nesting holes in older buildings. A national campaign to mandate "swift bricks" in new homes has seen success in Scotland but was rejected by the Labour government in Westminster, highlighting ongoing challenges in wildlife conservation policy.
Bird lovers planned to hold a vigil beneath the viaduct, hoping for the holes to be unblocked before the swifts' return around late April. Reflecting on the broader implications, Pitman added: "Swifts have been successfully breeding since around the time of the dinosaurs and yet we can't afford them a tiny space. I refuse to accept it."
